Dear Mr Shmoe,

As an Australian, I look on with some no small trepidation when it comes to observing the United States of America and its current monarch. I do take some exception, though, to your putting down of any man who does ballet from making political comment.

It takes a huge amount of bravery and self-confidence, not to mention athleticism, to don a pair of tights and lift eager young women over your shoulders as you dance up a storm. Those men who do it are fantastic and to be much admired, rather than deprecated.

I think, from observing Mr Reagan’s biography, that ballet would be the best of Ronald Reagan Jr’s qualifications for making comments about toughness, moral fibre and political stammina!

Thankyou for your website.

Yours sincerely,

Nigel McBain.
Melbourne, Australia.

I absolutely agree !! That little absurd CRACK about the source of the statement coming from a male ballet dancer nearly capsizing their meaning & importance , was completely uncalled for & BEYOND RUDE ! As funny as the critic may think he is being,he should more carefully articulate his words lest someone get seriously offended !
After all, he’d like people to spend more time here on the site,not less !
The worst part is the vague insinuation which he never clarifies to give any explanation or meaning behind his crack comment ,leaving the reader’s mind to wonder the possibilities of his perspective.
I found it extremely offensive and I will say that a person & their “words of wisdom” pertaining to morale or alleged “masculine”affairs such as “politics” (ha !) can in NO WAY be measured by concepts of inappropriate forced socialization according to how someone thinks men and women SHOULD act according to a primitive & ridiculous norm !
A male’s career endeavor’s,hobbie’s or even say his hypothetical “sexual orientation” are in NO WAY related to each other and are irrelevant to references about his masculinity and CERTAINLY HAVE NO place being comparitively analyzed against his take on any given topic !!!!
It’s that level of shauvanistic barbaric mentality that we DO NOT want in the White House !
NOw I’d wager a guess that the write finds our responses completely amusing & entertaining at our’s and Ronnie Junior’s expense ,so enough said ,
NOW GOOD DAY !!!!!!
Heather
An AMERICAN with my own MIND !!!!
Dont associate me to that FREAK of a current president either because he is not MY president ! Hilary WILL fix things once elected to PRESIDENT.
VOTE Hillary !!!!!

edit to 1st line in prior post ~ post script ~
uh…excusey me ~
“source of the (statement)source of THE WORDS ”
again VOTE Hilary for America’s future ! The NEXT president of the united states.
heather

You two are right. Ballet is a noble art-form and certainly deserving of respect.

Your comments have changed my entire outlook on ballet, "masculine" behavior, and even life in general. Beginning tomorrow, I shall take up the study of ballet and will make it my life’s goal to become proficient in this much-maligned style of dance.

I now truly understand that prancing about in a pair of tights can enlighten one with shrewd political and social insight.

Dear Mr Schmoe,

My point is not that Mr Regan should or should not be listened to. My point is that his political views should not simply be dismissed BECUASE he does ballet. They should or should not be dismissed because they are or are not true. As St Thomas Aquinas once said, “Pay attention not to who says a thing, but rather to what is said.” The truth is always the truth, and no one has a monopoly on it, nor is anyone barred from uttering truth, especially not a class of person who dedicates themselves to their art.

Each art generally attempts to point towards truth beyond itself, and ballet is no exception. It points to the movement of form, and thus is glorious, just like music.

There is no need for you, personally, to study ballet, nor did I suggest anything of the kind, Mr Schmoe. I would simply desire that men be allowed to do it without being put down for it. As for donning tights, need I mention American Football, Wrestling, Rowing, Running, Swimming and the plethora of other sports in which men now regularly and without comment wear tights. But this is all besides the points. I wish you well, and I hope you continue to pursue the truth.

Yours sincerely,

Nigel McBain.